Olsen is one of the more mysterious Danish artists. Olsen never received any training in arts, nor was he from an upper class family. Olsen was from a normal working class family and both Olsen and his father worked for many years as machinists in a factory. Nonetheless Olsen was an talented artist and although he rarely had the cash for painting materials he managed to create a series of stunning harbour scenes and portraits of the street girls working at Nyhavn in Copenhagen. The works of Olsen have many impressionistic and naivistic qualities to them but his style is unique and captivating. Olsen suddenly died in 1966 at the age of 61 of causes still unknown.
Exhibitions:
The Artists Fall Exhibition: 1951-55.
Cromisterne: 1959-61.
Charlottenborg: 1958-66.
Serbers Salon: 1940.
Gallery Boheme: 1953.
The Exhibition Museum: 1960.
Nikolai Church: 1963.
Auction prices:
Otto Olsen is listed in artprice.com where a watercolor was sold for $4000. (Sotheby’s, New York. 21-06-96. Lot no: 540)
Øbro Art Gallery 